Calcot Infant and Junior Schools (Pilot Scheme)

Contents

What is a School Streets Scheme?

Phase One

Why we want your views
How to take part
What happens next
What you told us
What we did

Phase Two

Why we want your views
How to take part
What happens next
What you told us
What we did

Timeline

What is a School Streets Scheme?

The Department of Transport have given us some funding to provide Active Travel schemes to encourage more cycling, walking and scooting. This means that we've been able to set up a School Streets scheme. This is a community-based approach, which aims to:

• Cut down on traffic and parking pressures outside schools.
• Discourage car journeys to school and encourage walking and cycling.
• Make the streets outside schools safer at the start and end of the day.
• Improve air quality and create a more pleasant environment for everyone.
• The schemes put children and families first, to keep them safe and healthy by encouraging walking, scooting and cycling. They also limit the impact vehicle movement may have on the desires of a school community to embrace active travel at the start and finish of a school day, as well as the impact extra vehicles may have on local residents living close to our schools.

School streets schemes place children and families first, to keep them safe and healthy by encouraging walking, scooting and cycling. They also limit the impact vehicle movement may have on the desires of a school community to embrace active travel at the start and finish of a school day, as well as the impact extra vehicles may have on local residents living close to our schools.

The evaluation of early School Streets projects in other areas across the UK has shown that traffic outside schools had reduced on average by 68%, children cycling to school had increased by 51%, and harmful vehicle pollution outside schools was down by almost 75%. There are many benefits when a community use more active modes of travel, some of which result from increased physical activity, while others come from a decrease in traffic in the local area.

All of the School Streets pilot schemes in the UK to date have been implemented by the use of an Experimental Traffic Management/Regulation Order (ETO).

Back to top
 

Phase One

What we are proposing

The restriction imposed by an ETO is a prohibition of motor vehicles, applicable Monday to Friday during school term-time only. It operates for very short periods of time, approximately 45-60 mins, set to coincide with school pick-up and drop-off times. This will effectively create a 'Pedestrian and Cyclist Zone' on the surrounding streets. We'd like your views on the following options:

Restricted access only points at:

Restricted access only times of:

Option 1: 0830 - 0915 and 14:45 - 15:30
Option 2: 0815 - 0915 and 14:30 - 15:30

All residents within the restricted areas will be able to enter and exit their roads without any restrictions, they will be identifiable by a special School Streets permit, which will need to be displayed in the vehicles registered at their address. The movement of vehicles on streets with restricted vehicle access will be regularly monitored. Permits will be automatically issued by our Parking Team to affected local residents before the scheme is live.

If you believe you are entitled to a permit and have not received one by 1 August 2021, please contact parking@westberks.gov.uk

Example permit:

Why we want your views

We'd like to hear your comments on the pilot scheme and any other locations you think should be considered

How to take part

If you'd like to comment on the proposed scheme, please complete our online survey by 23 April 2021

What happens next

Following the close of the initial consultation on 23 April 2021, your feedback and suggestions will be considered, and if appropriate, a pilot scheme designed and installed.

If the scheme is installed, a new Design feedback consultation will be opened for you to tell us about your experiences, report on the impact the installed scheme may have had, or suggest any further improvements you think would be beneficial. Once the pilot scheme has been in place for 6 to 9 months it will be reviewed, and if appropriate, changed according to the feedback you provide. The consultation will remain open for the life of the pilot scheme, approximately 12 to 18 months.

At the end of the pilot all feedback will be considered before the scheme is made permanent or removed completely.

What you told us

You can read the full analysis of the consultation responses here

What we did

The School Streets scheme will be operational for the start of the new school academic year from 2 September 2021. The experimental 'no access points' will be regulated under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order' (ETRO) - appendix A and will remain in place (unchanged) for a period of six to nine months. During this time residents and those affected by the scheme will be able to feedback via the 'Design Feedback' consultation (Phase 2). Any feedback collected during this initial operational stage will be assessed and if appropriate changes to the scheme will be made.

Back to top

Phase Two

What we are proposing

Following on from the Phase One consultation, we've listened to your feedback and have designed a scheme, which will be introduced at the start of the new school year on Thursday, 2 September 2021. This is our first one, and will set the basis of our other schools in our district, should the scheme have a positive impact, and is found to encourage more active travel choices.

Watch a short video to see how the scheme has made a difference at the Calcot Schools.

Use the slider to see a "before and after" the scheme has been implemented

Why we want your views

Before the project is considered for permanent implementation, we'd like to know how you think it's working, whether you agree with the measures put in place, and whether it has changed the way you travel to and from the Calcot schools.

How to take part

If you'd like to tell us your experience of the School Streets scheme at the Calcot Schools, please complete our survey by 5pm Friday, 30 September 2022.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact activetravel@westberks.gov.uk.

What happens next

Once the pilot scheme has been in place for six to nine months it will be reviewed, and if appropriate, changed according to the feedback you provide.

Your feedback will be considered and a report presented to the Transport Advisory Group, who will make a decision in spring 2022 as to whether the scheme is permanently implemented or not.

We'll publish what's happening on the Commonplace News Page, so please remember to register your interest to ensure you receive regular updates.

Back to top